The windows through which we see wonderful things

Monthly Archives: March 2012

Bit of a break from history this week. I want to recommend a recent book to you: Halting State by Charles Stross. And I want to talk about the ideas in it. So, recommendation – read the book. There’s that done. But have you ever considered what it means to read fiction?

So I talked last week about a writer who used archaic language really poorly. I suppose this week I should be fair and talk about someone who used it well, just so I don’t imply it’s impossible. Mind you, it almost never works out well. I have a few reservations about this author’s work as well, just not this particular novel. Oh well, no one really cares. So. Ever heard of William Morris? He made wallpaper.

Have you ever been disappointed? I mean, you’ve gone into something and thought, wow, this’ll be great? Maybe it was some awesome sex you were going into, and then you found out your partner was actually a papier-mache model? That would be disappointment. For most people, anyway. I’m not even sure how it would work otherwise. I mean, I know there are people out there who’d like it, I’ve seen the internet, but how would it work? Would you have to craft the genitals yourself, or are we imagining a scenario where the prankster did that already? What kind of prankster would do that? Oh, right, The Night Land.

Oh, a book about a book that you can’t read, that’s original. Next you’ll be telling me about a movie about a movie you can’t watch, on VHS no less. Oh wait, uh, nevermind. So, have you ever heard of Robert W. Chambers?